By Andi Anderson
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering a special fruit and vegetable production safety course this spring and summer.
The course aims to help both home gardeners and commercial growers understand the best practices for safely growing and handling fresh produce.
The course will be held at Reiman Gardens in Ames on five different dates: April 12, May 10, June 14, July 19, and August 9. Each session runs from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and is included with the price of admission to the gardens. No registration is needed to attend.
This program focuses on the importance of food safety when growing fruits and vegetables. Since produce can sometimes be contaminated with harmful microorganisms, understanding how to reduce these risks is essential for protecting public health.
Topics covered in the course include how to identify sources of contamination, how to safely harvest and handle produce, and steps that can be taken to reduce health hazards from farm to table.
Andre Salazar, an extension education specialist in food safety, explained that the course is designed for all experience levels. “The course is designed to be easily understood by beginning gardeners while offering enough details to benefit experienced commercial growers,” he said.
This initiative is a collaboration between the ISU Extension and Outreach Safe Produce program and Reiman Gardens. The goal is to give community members the knowledge and skills needed to safely grow food for their families or local markets.
For more information, contact the ISU Safe Produce program at Iowafsma@iastate.edu or 515-294-2552, or Reiman Gardens at reimangardens@iastate.edu or 515-294-2710.
This course supports safe farming practices and strengthens community health by making food safety education accessible to everyone.
Photo Credit: iowa-state-university
Categories: Iowa, Education